If I Fall
by Forced Simile
Summary: Jean was too busy rescuing Nadia to worry about Marie. King was a most neglectful husband and she ended up saving him more times than not. So who on earth will catch her if she should fall? Marie and Sanson centric.
1. Chapter 1

If I Fall

* * *

One

Marie looked around at all the adults around her talking. She knew they were talking about her, where she would go, what she would do. The problem was, she didn't understand what the big deal was. Jean and Nadia were her papa and mama. She should stay with them and her husband, King. When she tried to say this, Miss Electra just started talking over her. When she tried repeating it, Nadia started shouting. When she tried yet again to explain, Grandis started speaking. Eventually, she decided to go outside and look up at the stars, glaring over her shoulder at the women at the table.

Jean told her that he and Nadia had gone up to space and fought Gargoyle. They were getting rid of him so that she could be safe. Marie knew deep down that they both loved her, but she was a child, not stupid. She knew that Jean really went to the stars to save Nadia, Marie was only reason number two. Marie reasoned that all she had was herself. She protected King, but who specifically looked out for her? She was the community child, everyone loved her, but there was no one to fight for her the way Miss Electra fought for Captain Nemo.

She looked back at the yellow glow of the house. Everyone inside loved her, that's why they argued over her. She put her head in her hands and blew her breath out through her teeth and Nadia's cries reached her ears. If only Nadia knew she sounded exactly like the adults she disliked so much.

"It's quite stuffy in there, isn't it Marie?" a familiar voice said from behind her. Marie smiled up at Sanson.

"It sure is," she said. "But I like Jean's house a lot. It's full of fun stuff."

"Yes, I suppose," Sanson said. She thought she heard him mumbling about there being no place to sleep, but she couldn't be sure.

"I've taken care of her all this time! I don't need help raising her!" Nadia said within.

"Perhaps you can raise her," Electra said, raising her voice to match Nadia's. "But what of her education? I'm more than willing to help—"

"I don't need your help! I can do it myself!"

Marie wrinkled her nose. She tugged on Sanson's arm until he turned his attention from those inside to her.

"Can we go for a walk? I don't like it here," she said.

"Certainly," he said, standing up. He picked her up and put her on his shoulders.

"Where to, Miss Marie?"

She pointed down Jean's runway, "That way, and step on it!"

Marie knew all her months of imitating Grandis would pay off one day; without questioning, Sanson took off running. She let go of his neck and flung her arms out wide as she started giggling. The wind whipped her hair off her forehead and felt cool against her cheeks. She hadn't moved that fast since they were back on the island.

"Slow down now! That's enough!" she cried.

"Yes, Miss!"

He slowed to a jog and eventually started walking as they came to the end of the runway. Marie eventually rested her hands on top of his head.

"Where to now, Miss Marie?" he asked. She looked down and smoothed his hair.

"Let's go back. Then one lap around the house. But walk this time," she said.

"You got it."

Marie sighed and rested her chin on top of his head, "Sanson…where are you and Hanson and Grandis going to go?"

"I'm not sure yet. We still have to restore the Grandva family fortune," he said.

She grabbed a fistful of his hair tightly, "So you're leaving? But everyone else is staying in France! Why are you going away?"

"Watch the hair!"

"Why are you going!" Marie burst into tears, "I don't want you to go!"

She wrapped her arms around his neck and wailed as loud as she could. He stopped walking and pried her arms from around his neck. No sooner had he pried one lose, but the other found its way back to its original place. Finally, he got a hold of her arms, keeping them still as he tried to breath after she had a vice like grip on his neck.

"No, no, no!" she cried. He lifted her off his shoulders and held her out at arm's length.

"Marie!" he said. She started to kick her legs and scream. "We're not leaving forever. We're coming back."

Her cries died into sobs as she wiped at her tears, "Promise?"

"Have I ever lied to you?" he asked with a flashy grin.

She sniffed, "Yes."

He cradled her in his arms and walked ahead, "Well, I'm not lying this time."

"Will you write?" she asked. "If you write then I'll know you're not lying."

"If you like. But can you read it?"

"No, but Nadia will read it to me if I ask her! And if I tell her what to write so you can hear from me too!"

Marie didn't know why but Sanson started laughing. A laughing adult was better than a yelling one, so she decided to ask what the joke was later. She hugged his neck. When Jean and Nadia weren't around, Sanson was always there to catch her…and ward off giant mechanical crabs.

"You're the best, Sanson. If I wasn't married to King, I'd marry you instead," she said.

"It's my loss then," he said.

"You bet. I'm quite the catch."

He started laughing again and Marie stuck out her bottom lip, "What's so funny?"

"You spend way too much time with Grandis, I believe," he said.

"I guess I do. Now once around the house and then we'll go inside."

"Yes, Miss Marie!"

When she really thought about it, Marie realized it was quite sad that Sanson wasn't married. Married life had its benefits and trials, and if any one knew that it was her. King was a most ungrateful husband some times--even more ungrateful than Nadia. All those times she went out of her way to save him, only for him to run away from her when she wanted to play. What kind of husband did that? Sanson never ran away from women (except Grandis. And Nadia. And Miss Electra). Plus he was very good at protecting people, she knew that from experience. He'd find love someday, she was sure. She rested her head heavily on his shoulder and closed her eyes.

_I'll dream of the perfect wife for you, Sanson_ she thought and drifted off to sleep.

* * *

I don't think this will be too long. I hope you enjoy it!


	2. Chapter 2

If I Fall

Two

* * *

Three weeks later, she was presented a letter addressed to her in Sanson's coarse, direct handwriting. Marie cried when she opened it and saw the accompanying photograph. Nadia ran to her side, asking if she was hurt or if the letter said something bad. Marie had never cried when she was happy before. Maybe because she never felt such a pang of sadness along with it. She was married already! Why did Sanson have to go and be so nice to her?

Later on that day, when she finally stopped crying, Miss Electra read the letter to her. Marie rested her head on her lap and listened quietly. He was in Spain. It was hot, and no one knew a thing about good French food. They saw bulls running and he told of how he joined in all the fun. Marie looked down at the picture as Electra read about the bull run. Sanson had grabbed one by the horns and flipped it over. He was leaning against it, smoothing his hair and grinning at the camera.

"'Grandis and Hanson sent their regards to you all back in France. Hope to hear from you soon. Sanson,'" Electra finished.

Marie sighed deeply and lowered her head after Electra finished reading.

"Oh Marie, you look so miserable," Electra said, as she smoothed Marie's hair. "I know you miss Sanson, but—"

"Miss Electra, am I a bad person?" Marie said.

"What ever would give you the idea that you were bad?" she said.

"I…I'm in love with another man. Does that make me a bad wife?"

Electra smiled and raised an eyebrow, "Who is your husband?"

"King, of course."

"Did you two have a wedding?"

"No."

"Did you sign any papers?"

Marie sniffed, "No."

"Then my good lady," she continued, wiping away Marie's tears. "You are not married. You're free to love whoever you wish."

Marie's face brightened, "Then, I need to get some paper, because I'm writing to Sanson right now!"

* * *

Sanson couldn't help but laugh as he read Electra's faithful transcription of Marie's letter. How could anyone keep a straight face at the idea of a five year old beginning a letter with, "I regret to inform you that my first marriage has dissolved." Grandis wouldn't believe him until she read it herself. She bit her lip in a vain attempt to stifle her giggles.

"Marie's grown up much before her time," Hanson said when he perused the letter. "At least you waited a while until your first marriage."

Grandis only shook her head as she looked at the picture that Marie drew for them. She and Marie were on top of what she assumed was the Graton. Hanson and Sanson were in front of it pulling the machine on ropes.

"I think I taught her well," she said.

"Too well," Sanson said. "I think I should write her when we get to Russia."

"Well, well Sanson. I didn't take you for the sentimental type," Hanson said.

"What do you mean by that?"

Grandis took a drag of her cigarette, "Writing letters to children doesn't suit you."

"Look, I promised her I'd write and I'm writing," he said.

"You were always serious about promises you made to friends," Hanson said.

"Damn straight."

"I still don't know what this means Sanson," Grandis said, leaning out the window to blow a graceful smoke ring. "Are you trying to send me signals that you want to settle down and have children?"

"Never, Miss Grandva!" Sanson said waving his hands. Grandis gripped her cigarette holder so tight it bent.

"Why not Sanson? Am I not pretty enough?" she shouted. He took a step back cowering. Why was it that with all his strength he was so deathly afraid of her?

"Oh, I know. It's because I'm not Electra is that it!"

"Hanson was the one who liked Electra! Ikolina was my girl."

She smacked him firmly on the back of the head, picked up her bent cigarette holder and marched out the room puffing smoke. He watched her leave and smoothed his hair. That certainly was close. Over reactions aside, Grandis had bought up a point: it was quite out of his character to write to children. He'd written scores of letters to faceless women, but never to little girls. It wasn't truly because he wanted to settle, far from it. He was in the prime of his life and the women were still flocking. No, he just promised Marie that he would write and he was keeping his promise. Marie should have one adult in her life that kept even the small promises.

* * *

Every three weeks a letter arrived in the mail from far off places. Jean gave Marie a small wooden box to put them in so she wouldn't lose them. Months passed; Electra read the letters at first, then Marie began to read them on her own with her coaching, and finally Marie was reading them haltingly out loud to herself. Usually Electra would write for her, sometimes Jean might write if he wasn't busy. Marie would sign the letters after reading them over. A year later, in careful, large letters, she wrote back to Sanson on her own, drawing pictures in the margins to convey everything her words could not.

Marie was convinced that there was no way that Sanson could be so bad as Nadia sometimes said he was. After all, he kept more promises to her than Nadia ever did. People who kept promises weren't bad. All the more reason Marie believed he should get married. She would marry him herself, but Miss Electra explained that big people shouldn't get married to children. She didn't understand why Electra said that when she was in love with Captain Nemo and he was an old man.

Marie thought it was silly that adults had rules that they ignored but expected her to follow. Jean's auntie had a lot of those kinds of rules. Nadia sent her to go get a cup of salt and Auntie nearly bit her head off when she arrived, saying children should not go anywhere alone. Auntie always walked to town by herself. Marie didn't see how it was fair, plus she wasn't really alone, she had King. She reasoned that there was no use in trying to understand the adult world. She held the cup steady as she walked up the runway.

She didn't see the car sitting beside the door, but she did drop the cup when she went in the house and saw who was in the kitchen. She didn't see Grandis and Hanson, she knew they were there. She also heard Nadia saying something about the salt but she couldn't remember what it was. She kept her eyes fixed on Sanson as he fixed his sunglasses as she arrived.

"You came…" she said.

"I told you we would," Sanson said running a finger across the brim of his hat. She leapt into his arms and squeezed him. She took the sunglasses off his eyes and put them on. He smiled at her and lowered his chin as she rubbed her nose and looked off at the ceiling. Her Sanson impression was a bit rusty, but she knew how he hated mushy scenes like this.

"I'm kinda glad you're back," she said. He ruffled her hair a bit.

"It's good to see you too, kid," he said.

* * *

That was a long time coming. I'm sorry...


End file.
